Photos and instructions for making this vibrant summer bag have been emailed to us by Beth Maitland Banninger. Beth, thank you! The project is amazing! Beth made this purse for the friend's birthday, decorated with her initials. The letter is from Spring Touch embroidery font.
Below is the photo of ready purse. And detailed explanations of the steps provided by project author:
Supplies list:
Step-By-Step instruction for making stipple quilted monogrammed purse: 1. For Purse Pattern: Take two pieces of 8 1/2" by 11" bond/printer paper. Place them side by side, overlapping long side edge by 1/4". Tape them together. Along top edge measure in from each side 4" and mark. Cut a diagonal line from lower outer edge of rectangle to marked upper edge. The shape you end up with is the pattern for the body of the purse (cut two), for the Pure and Natural cotton batting (cut two) and for the lining (cut two). It measures 9" across the top edge, 11 1/2" down each diagonal side, and just under 17" across the lower edge. You will also need a strip of purse body fabric 4" wide by 36" long for the straps, as well as optional 2" by 36" strip of batting for inside of strap if you wish it to be quilted. 2. For Embroidery: Take a 6" wide by 16" long strip of muslin or other neutral fabric. Choose a letter or letters from ABC Embroidery Design's Spring Touch embroidery alphabet. Mark center, hoop and embroider... in my case, the purse body fabric is a lovely Ralph Lauren Upholstery print, so I recolored the thread choices to match my fabric (see photo): 3. Baste Pure and Natural thin batting to purse body pieces, to wrong side of fabric. Turn under top and bottom of muslin embroidery strip and press. Top stitch per photo to the front of the purse body. I chose to stipple quilt the upper and lower section of the purse body (above and below the muslin embroidery strip), but that is optional. You can add trim, lace, piping, or whatever suits you as decoration along strip if you wish. I stipple quilted the back of the purse body also using gold metallic thread for a little sparkle. 4. Join sides and bottom with right sides together leaving top opening unstitched. At each lower corner, from point, pin side seam to bottom seam and sew a two inch gusset triangle on each side (to make the purse have a bottom (see photo): 5. Clip off excess triangle. Turn right side out. 6. Take handle strap fabric and fold on long edge, right sides together and make a long strip. Turn right sides out. Fold in half and cut to make two straps, and sew them in place to purse body. Sew lining together sides and bottom. Make a matching two inch gusset triangle in each lower corner. Do not turn. Place inside purse body, where wrong sides are now together and right side of lining is what you see when you look inside the purse. Turn upper edges of lining and of purse body under 3/4" toward each other (to the inside). Pin. Check strap placement. Top-stitch opening. You can add trim to upper edge of purse if you wish. I wanted to feature the lovely embroidery as the main embellishment for this darling fabric purse.